In 1867, a small group of actors and entertainers in New York City known as "The Jolly Corks" began to meet to regularly to socialize and toast members of the group who were not in attendance.  Just before Christmas of that year, after having met for just few months, one of their friends died, leaving his wife and children destitute.

That sadness gave rise to the notion that, in addition to meeting for good fellowship, the Jolly Corks needed to adopt a more noble purpose in order for their group to endure . . . and to serve not only their own in need, but others as well. Thus, on February 16, 1868, they set forth a statement of serious purpose and they adopted the stately elk as symbol of strength and majesty . . . and thus the new fraternal order of Elks was launched.

The new group adopted several practices from other fraternal organizations of the day, including an altar featuring an open Holy Bible that is still, to this day, at the center of every Lodge throughout Elkdom. Also, our American flag, Old Glory, covered the altar until 1956 when it was given its own distinct place of honor to the right of the altar.

Elk Officers wear formal tuxedos during the Initiation Ritual and other ceremonies. Since 1874, the leaders and officers of every Elks Lodge began wearing a distinctive Elks regalia composed of a purple velvet collar with a small, fawn colored roll and a jewel with an Elk's head with a gilt edge on the collar. A "Tiler" guards the entrance of every Elks Lodge to require those seeking to enter to prove themselves to be an Elk in good standing.

The BPOE Grand Lodge maintains the dignified BPOE Initiation Ritual today as somewhat different than the original ceremony. In the past, candidates for membership were required to provide a physician's certificate and prove themselves to be men in top physical condition to be considered, and the old initiation ceremony typically included many pranks that have long since been discontinued.  And, in 1995, the rules of membership were changed to include ladies being eligible to join.